An Attitude of Gratitude

Thomas S. Monson April 1992

As I've been going through things the past few days and getting my nursery ready for little Elijah William (pictures to come soon) I've been overwhelmed with gratitude for all of my friends and family that are helping me along this new road that Erik and I are on.  I decided to look up some talks given by general authorities on gratitude and found one that inspired me so much I want to share it all with you.  As you can see from the title of this blog, the talk was given by Thomas S. Monson.

This is the first quote I really connected with.  “This is a wonderful time to be living here on earth. Our opportunities are limitless. While there are some things wrong in the world today, there are many things right, such as teachers who teach, ministers who minister, marriages that make it, parents who sacrifice, and friends who help.”  As many of you know Erik and I have been on quite the rocky slope the past few months.  We packed up all we had to move out here to Illinois only to find that the job we had lined up fell through, and then we were left with nothing, or so it seemed.  Over the past weeks though I've been able to see things differently.  We were out of money and had no leads on jobs, I was pregnant and very sick and therefore unable to work, and Erik was starting grad school in a few weeks, but we had so many things I never even realized, like Kevin and Heidi, my wonderful in laws, and my parents back in Idaho rooting for us and also doing everything in their power to help us pay for medical bills that we weren't able to afford.  

President Monson's talk breaks down several different individuals we should be grateful for, and I love how he does so.  The first person he mentions is our mother.  “Mother, who willingly made that personal journey into the valley of the shadow of death to take us by the hand and introduce us to birth—even to mortal life—deserves our undying gratitude. One writer summed up our love for mother when he declared, “God could not be everywhere, and so He gave us mothers.”  I couldn't agree more with President Monson, and I am so thankful for my mother.

She has done so much for me, and is always there for me.  I know I can call her with anything, and she will do all in her power to help me.  I know she prays for me, loves me, and cares for me immensely.

 

President Monson also mentions fathers in his talk.  “Father, like Mother, is ever willing to sacrifice his own comfort for that of his children. Daily he toils to provide the necessities of life, never complaining, ever concerned for the well-being of his family. This love for children, this desire to see them well and happy, is a constant in a time of change.”  This description fits my father perfectly.

 

 My dad is a very quite man, but is one of the most sincere men I have ever met. He has also always been there for me.  Above is a picture of a fishing trip we took after my mission.  I'd had a rough couple of weeks up at school, and so I asked him if I could come home and go fishing with him. It was one of the best trips of my life.

 

My parents also sacrificed this summer and found a way to fly me home for a vacation.  I was able to relax with them, go fishing, escape from the hot humid weather in Illinois, and make baby plans.   They did anything and everything I wanted to do during my stay, and that meant the world to me.

Not only have I been blessed with wonderful parents, but also with wonderful in-laws, who have quickly become just like my parents here in Illinois. 

Kevin and Heidi have been Erik's and my saving grace.  We were planning on staying with them for just a month or two, until we got enough paychecks backed up to pay for our own place here in Illinois, but after Erik's struggle to find a job that would work with his schedule, we soon realized that a month or two was soon to change into several months.  Kevin and Heidi have been with us through it all though.  Never complaining, and always doing whatever needed to be done to make sure that we are comfortable, well fed, happy, and content.  They even took apart their office, painted it, and moved out half of the furniture in there to make room for a crib and dresser.  The office has now become our little nursery for Elijah.  I am so grateful for their outpouring of generosity and their intense love that they show Erik and I every day. 

 

Along with gratitude for my amazing parents there is also gratitude for my family.

 

I have the three most amazing brothers who have always been there for me and have always loved me.  I have dear memories of all of them, from Bradley comforting me when I was young and my parents weren't home, to Nathan and I working at Elk Creek ranch and trying to chase racoons out of the kitchen, to sharing a lunch with Brandon at a time when my heart felt so broken I feared if it would ever be able to mend.  They have always shown me love and support, and as this picture shows, they are all very uplifting. 

I've also been blessed with the most amazing brother and sister-in-laws and nieces and nephews.

 

 

 This is where my gratitude thoughts began, but as I continued to read through President Monson's talk, my gratitude swelled within me and went beyond my parents.  President Monson also talked about the blessings of great teachers in our lives.  I have had numerous teachers that have inspired me to become a better person, but the one that sticks out in my mind the most is Edward Jackson.  Sadly I don't have a picture of him, but he was my fifth grade teacher, and also my cross country coach.  He pushed me past my known limits, and thanks to him and his belief in me, I was able to run a full 26.2 mile marathon, and I crossed that finish line with my head held high.  Many other teachers have also had amazing influences on me, including the entire Psychology faculty at BYU-Idaho, and also Marcia McManus, an education teacher I had my second semester of college when I was an English education major.

President Monson then talks about having gratitude for our friends.  I have been blessed in my life to have many great friends who have helped me through many hard times.

There's Tiffany Bull, my first missionary companion in the MTC and one of the truest friends I've ever had.  

There's Brittany Clark, who was always there for me after I got married to listen to my stresses and trials.  As you can see form the picture, we also met on the mission.

Amy Sawaya, also a missionary companion who taught me about loving being me and being happy no matter what God puts in my path

Breanne Sumsion, who taught me that sacrifice is always worth it, and nothing takes care of a bad day better than a waffle cone full of ice cream.  (In this picture we were doing the play beauty and the beast, I was the wardrobe, she was a rug.)

Amber Feigleson, who taught me the power of testimony and faith, and that Christ really does get us through all of our tough times

Emily Head and Shannon Butt, best friends since I can remember, who grew up with me and always accepted me for who I am no matter what

Synthia Simonsen, yet another mission companion who got me through one of the hardest times in my life as I battled my depression in the mission field and greatly debated if I had the strength to continue on and finish my mission or if I should just go home.  Thanks to her and her influence, I stayed. :)

Lisle "Pata" Bates, one of the silliest people I've ever met, and also one of my closest and dearest friends.   She taught me how to enjoy life no matter what the circumstance, and I will forever be grateful for her influence in my life.  

Valerie Ball, the roommate that fully embraced me for me with all of my craziness.  Dang, we sure knew how to have fun together!

Apartment 102 at Royal Crest, plus the family brother Joshua Paul Munns.  These people taught me how to laugh and how to love, and how to accept everyone exactly how they are, no strings attached.

There are many other friends that I have had, Jessica Larsen, Sydney Hutchison, Elisa Canales, Tatiana Cardoza, Isabel Enamorado, James Hill, Erica Penrod, Kwani Winder, and other roommates and friends that have influenced my life.  I know I've forgotten several, and I apologize for that, but everyone of these people has greatly influenced me in my life, and I am so very grateful for them all.

Among all of my friend though, there is one that i am most grateful for

My husband and eternal best friend, Erik William Miller.  This man changed my life, and continues to do so every single day.  I love him with all of my heart, and will forever be grateful for him and all he does for me every minute of every day.

President Monson then talks about feeling gratitude for our amazing country, and I couldn't agree more.  Many people complain about how America is in a downward spiral and that we're headed to the end, but I like to look at everything we have.  That's definitely one thing living in Uruguay taught me.  I was born in an amazing country, and it truly is the promise land.

 

President Monson then finishes off by saying that the person that we need to have the most gratitude for is our Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ.  “Let us reflect gratitude for our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. His glorious gospel provides answers to life’s greatest questions: Where did we come from? Why are we here? Where does my spirit go when I die? His called missionaries bring to those who live in darkness the light of divine truth.”  I am so grateful for my Savior and Friend Jesus Christ.  I know that without him I would be nothing, and that I owe all of my thanks to him, because through him I have been able to associate with all of the people above and have been able to find my true happiness.

 

So for today instead of thinking about how hard it is to be here in Illinois and to not have my own apartment and so on, I am focusing on what I do have and how grateful I am for it.  I am truly a blessed and very loved person, and that is much more pleasurable to focus on instead of what I feel my life is lacking at this moment.  I love my life, I love the people in it, and I am so truly grateful for all that my Heavenly Father has blessed me with.